Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Assalamu Alaikum

Dear Sir,

One of our colleagues asks the following question for which we seek your advices as per Islamic view,  in detail.

"Jazaaku- mullahu Khairan"

Question :

I have one doubt which i think it can be cleared through you. During the month of Ramadan one of our family friends (non-muslim) invited us for Iftaar party at their home. We couldn't refuse the invitation as they were very close friend of our's, very loving & helpful to us in many situations. After iftaar, all men went to their prayers (magrib) but as there was no other way for me I did my namaaz there itself (as i don't want to skip my namaaz).

Please, can u tell me what me and family did is wrong? Did Allah forgive us for it.

Awaiting your reply at the earliest.

Best regards,

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Eat pray non muslim house

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Provided that the food and drink being served by your non-muslim neighbor is amongst the ‘halaal’ foods in Shariah, there is absolutely no harm in a believer consuming the food and drink served by the disbeliever. There is absolutely no harm in accepting the invitation of non-muslims and eating and drinking of the halaal foods they may provide.

Thus if one were to eat food of any kind of the vegetarian kingdom, or meat of the ‘halaal’ animals which are duely slaughtered according to Shariah, or drink of any of the non-alcoholic drinks, etc……regardless of whether they are consumed in a believers house or a disbelievers, regardless of whether they are served by a believer or a disbeliever….all such food and drink which is considered ‘halaal’ in Shariah would be absolutely lawful for the believers to consume, regardless of who serves that food.

Thus beloved brother, it is not who prepares or serves the food and drink which would determine its permissibility or impermissibility in Islam; but rather the type of food itself which would determine whether it is lawful or unlawful for the believers to consume.

Abu Hurairah reports that the Prophet (saws) said: "The prayer of a man in congregation is twenty-seven times more superior (in reward) to his prayer in his house or market.”

Related by Bukhari and Muslim.

Abu Dharr al-Ghaffari reports that the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: "Wherever you may be, at the time of salah, you may pray; for it [the earth] is all a mosque."

Related by Bukhari and Muslim.

Secondly brother, it would have obviously been best and closest to the Sunnah if you could have made yourself available for your obligatory ‘magrib’ prayers in congregation in the masjid. But if for some reason, you happened to offer your prayers alone, regardless of whether it was in your own house, or a believers’ house, or a disbeliever’s house, or even on the streets…..it is expected that Allah Subhanah will accept your worship and you will have your due reward for fulfilling your obligatory prayers. The most that can be said of one who left the offering of one of their obligatory prayers in congregation in the masjid and prayed in isolation is that they missed an opportunity to receive a twenty-seven fold reward which they would have earned had they offered their prayer in congregation.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan